A Bell Of Great Liberty
Today, as our last day in Philadelphia, it was our plan to view the Liberty Bell in all it’s cracked glory. Now, a few of the days we’ve been here haven’t been very nice and this was another one. It was all right when I woke up, but started to rain pretty hard right after I took Kizzy for a walk. Good thing the Bell is in a museum then. We got on over there without incident and without getting too wet, all though there was a puddle about a foot deep on the road. Mum had printed off some more worksheets for Isaac and I to do. Basically, you had to find the date of historical happenings involving the Liberty Bell and put them in chronological order. Well, I only found 11 of 23 at the museum, but I got all of them later and then corrected them with an answer key, so I’ll relay them to you because it’s a very summarized way of telling the story. The
people of the Pennsylvania Colony ordered a new, large bell from Great Britain; 1751. The Pass and Stow Bell, originally called the State House Bell, was hung in the State House where it cracked upon it’s first ring; 1753. People living near the State House filed a complaint to the state of Pennsylvania because they were upset about the frequent ringing of the bell; 1772. The Bell rang to announce the reading of the Declaration of Independence; 1776. The Americans removed the Bell before the British entered Philadelphia; 1777. The Bell was hidden in the floor of a church in Allentown, Pennsylvania; 1777. The Bell is returned to the State House; 1778. The Bell rang after the American victory in the Battle of Yorktown; 1781. The Bell
became a symbol for Abolitionists; 1830’s. The name Liberty Bell was fist used; 1835. The Liberty Bell rang to celebrate George Washington’s birthday; 1846. The Liberty Bell was removed from the steeple of the State House, as the steeple was crumbling, and put on display inside the building itself; 1852. The Liberty Bell traveled to New Orleans, Louisiana; 1885. The Liberty Bell traveled to Chicago, Illinois; 1893. The Liberty Bell traveled to Atlanta, Georgia; 1895. The Liberty Bell traveled to Charleston, South Carolina; 1902. The Liberty Bell traveled to Boston, Massachusetts, 1903. The Liberty Bell traveled to St. Louis, Missouri; 1904.The Liberty Bell traveled to San Fransisco, California; 1915. (It was doing tour through the years it traveled, apparently). The Bell
rang as part of the first coast to coast telephone call; 1915. The Bell was heard on the radio on the 150th birthday of the United States; 1926. The Liberty Bell moved from Independence Hall into the Liberty Bell Pavilion; 1976. The Bell was moved into its current home in the Liberty Bell Centre; 2003. Another thing that the worksheet didn’t mention was that the Liberty Bell was also a symbol for suffragettes, all though that campaign both did and did not involve the Liberty Bell. It was used as a symbol in that in the early 1900’s in that one of the suffrage leaders, Katharine Wentworth Ruschenberger, commissioned a replica of the Liberty Bell but with a chained clapper, indicating the oppression of women and their inability to speak out and be heard. When women were finally granted the right to vote
after almost 75 years, the clapper was unchained and rung for the first time. Of course, the final grand exhibit was the Liberty Bell itself, with it’s reinforced crack and large bellness. Dad’s goal was to eat a Philly Cheesesteak while we were there, so, after we left the museum, we headed over to Pat’s King of Steaks. It was hear that the cheesesteak was invented and also where Rocky bought a cheesesteak from in the movie apparently, all though none of us remember that scene. It was pretty good, but also really simple to make. Then we checked out the café next door, where they had really strong coffee and really good cannoli, which was a surprised since the outside looked so sketchy. It was here that Isaac and I corrected out worksheets, which I got all right, except for the fact that I was missing dates. Back at the RV, Dad bought him and Isaac cheap tickets to see the Flyers play while Mum and I stayed home. Mum did lots of bookings and I had a shower before we watched the Breakfast Club. I wanted to see it since it’s talked about lots in Pitch Perfect, which is one of my favourite movies, and also because it’s an ’80’s movie, which has to do with Ready Player One, which is my favourite book. Peace out m8s.